Golden Days and Silver Nights
by Marshall Highwind
Summary: Usually, the end of one journey marks the beginning of a new one.. Peace before the Storm. Then the Storm rages... And after the war is won, peace comes back, to repeat the cycle, the Ouroboros circle of life. Right after the Golden Sun is born... What else is born between the ones who brought it? Felix is a man of many secrets. Will Sheba prove worthy of them?
1. Chapter 1 After the Storm Was Over

This is my first Golden Sun-related fic. Please be totally honest, and forgive the occasional mistakes, if any. English is not my first tongue.

By the way, in case it is not obvious enough... I DO NOT OWN GOLDEN SUN, NOR ANY OF ITS SEQUELS. It is all property of Camelot and Nintendo.

Golden Days and Silver Nights.

Golden Sun. Golden Sun: Lost Age. Golden Sun: Dark Dawn.

Camelot, Nintendo.

The day after all was over...

(...)(...)(...)(...)

Prologue.

Ever since _that _had happened, days had been particularly shiny, and nights were always accompanied of a bright, full moon. No exceptions. At least, not so far. No matter what weather was raging, or the amount of clouds in the sky, or if one actually tried to hide both celestial bodies with smoke or one's own hands... The light always found its way through.

It was a little bit too dangerous to go out alone, these days. The occasional monsters that had received their said monstrosity due to Mt. Aleph's eruption were now just as strong as those enemies that Felix, Jenna, Isaac and Garet almost had died fighting. All because of the exposure to the Golden Sun's rays.

But if the monsters had become stronger, the Adepts had, as well. Being in touch with the Golden Sun not only brought Felix and Jenna's parents and Isaac's father back, but also granted them (along with Ivan, Kraden, Mia, Garet, Piers and Sheba) what felt like "eternal youth", and considerable more power. For some reason, Isaac seemed to be the one whose vitality and Psyenergy had received the most improvement. Anyhow, and to some extent, all the people involved with the lighting of Mars Lighthouse had been transformed. Renewed. Perhaps not into Gods, but maybe _Demigods_...?

Still, it has only been a day since they made it to Vale. And only four days since the Golden Sun was created. The Wise One had yet to make an appearance. There were still so many things they did not know...

(...)

"You know, I'm pretty sure he can wait. It's not like we're really in a hurry or anything, and you said yourself that you loved our town..." Felix folded his arms and frowned at his blue haired friend, who was already set to leave.

A sunny day (yet another one) made Vale look like it was not destroyed at all. Even then, the lack of buildings, cottages and the Inn was more than evident, and instead, the townsfolk had settled with tents, at least until they could finish re-constructing everything. That being said, Vale could easily be mistaken by a shiny, more crowded Shaman Village.

"I understand how you feel, Felix..." Piers smiled. "... But, as much as you were worried about Vale not surviving the rise of the Golden Sun, I am worried about my town myself. And that probably goes for Sheba and Isaac's friends, too."

"Vale was obliterated because of its proximity to Mt. Aleph. I don't recall Lemuria having huge, dangerous volcanoes next to it, to be honest with you. Same goes for _their_ hometowns."

"True. Maybe I can't speak for Kalay, Lalivero and Imil... But I can say, when speaking for Lemuria, that circumstances were already tense and violent with only Venus and Mercury Lighthouses lit. Now that Jupiter and Mars joined the fray, I'm afraid of what may have become of King Hydros... Conservato is a strong Adept. And he's got issues of his own." He seemed to be quite affected while saying it. "... I don't want to imagine anything weird... But anything is possible. Especially now."

"Yeah, that much I can agree with." Felix sighed with concern. He then gazed left, right and centre, as if making sure he is not seen nor heard by anyone. Vale's people were all amazed by the "handsome Lemurian warrior", and the fact that he had decided to leave so early could only bring awkward situations for Piers and Felix. The latter shrugged and nodded.

"I guess it can't be helped. As long as your mind is made up, then I'll play along. Are you sure you don't want us to tag along, though?"

"I'm sure. I can take care of myself, you know..."

"What I was trying to say is..."

"I know, Felix." Piers gave the Venus Adept his hand, smiling friendly and honestly. "I'm _also_ going to miss you. All of you. But don't worry too much, it's not like any of us is dying just yet, least of all _me_, right?"

Felix shook Piers' hand, and gave him a manly hug. It lasted for a few seconds, but both men knew inside their hearts that the hug itself felt like it lasted way longer... And felt warmer.

"Right." Felix said, smiling back. "Listen, uh... Thanks so much for everything... I really appreciate your efforts, and uh... You know... Uh..."

"Compliments are definitely _not_ your strength, are they?"

"God, they're not."

They laughed out loud. Moments later, Piers was off, waving Felix good-bye as he walked towards Vault with his back turned against Vale's entrance. Felix waved back for as long as his hand let him, his smile not fading an inch.

"I STILL DIDN'T GET YOUR AGE!"

"AS IF I'D TELL THE LIKES OF YOU!" Piers shouted back, though Felix knew for sure that he was also chuckling. Several minutes later, Piers had vanished through the trees further away. Silence.

Then, the silence was suddenly interrupted by an exaggerated sniff.

"So... So beautiful!" A female voice –and a very familiar one, at that- said behind the dark brown haired man. Felix turned on his feet, and found his memory wasn't deceiving him. Jenna was either really outstanding an actress to actually shed real tears, or a skilled liar to fake them up. There was little difference between the two, though.

"A love story between two men, they don't know _when_ they will be able to see each other again... So romantic!" Jenna sobbed, hidden behind some bushes.

"I have no idea what are you talking about." Felix said, while folding his arms again.

"Oh!, such a cruel world this is!..." Another female voice said, just beside Jenna. "Too proud to kiss each other good-bye, but dying to do so as one of them marches most likely to war...!"

"Oh, God. You too, Sheba? Seriously?" Felix raised his eyebrows, not enjoying the jest.

"Don't worry, Felix." Said a man in the middle of the girls, whose red hair shone so brightly it resembled fire itself. "I'm sure you'll be able to kiss him next time."

"Typical..." Felix grunted, his three friends laughing hardly, almost rolling on the floor. "Just typical."

Just then, a flash from the past came to Felix's mind. Tasting the sweet revenge inwardly, Felix smirked mysteriously and turned his back to them as he left to his family's tent.

"Ah, it _is_ a cruel world, indeed! And here I thought I was doing my _dear_ little sister a favour with not leaving Mia alone with Isaac ever. But who knows, maybe next time I really won't need to _interrupt_ them _again_...

"What was that?!" Garet and Jenna snapped together. They looked at each other while Sheba whistled mockingly and raised her thumb at Felix, quietly letting him read her lips as she said 'nice one!'. Jenna shook her head as if trying to wipe her own thoughts, for some reason, and faced Felix as Garet apparently did the same.

"Felix, what did you mean by that?!"

"And _that_, ladies and gentlemen, is how you go for a weak spot." Sheba said, grinning behind Garet. He was looking paler than usual when he was nervous.

"Me? Nothing. I just thought it possible that Mia would... You know... It has been almost two years since she met Isaac and left with him... _Anything_ could happen, right?"

"Since... Since _that _long?! But Mia... Mia and I usually...!" Garet became even paler. Felix then faced them and showed them his tongue, in mockery.

" I _knew_ it! You guys _looooooove_ Isaac and Mia!" He laughed, Sheba too. "It's cool, no worries. I'll tell them! That's how good a brother and friend I am! Bye!"

"Felix, don't you dare!" Jenna said, walking closer to him as he walked further away.

"You know what they say about red-heads in a wedding? That they look GREAT on Bridesmaid outfit! I wonder if Mia would agree with making you hers...?"

"Felix, you...!"

That being said, Jenna and Garet dashed towards Felix, who laughed out loud as he ran away from them both. Sheba finally lost it and rolled in the floor while laughing.

Felix could not remember the last time he had been so happy and at peace... And if that had happened before, he was sure it could not be compared to the happiness and peace in his heart right now and there. Whether or not humans would destroy the world abusing Alchemy, he did not really know... Or care. If that time had to come, then he was prepared to fight.

But right now, he had to make sure he ran away from his sister.

(...)(...)(...)(...)

Chapter One: After The Storm Was Over...

(...)(...)(...)(...)

So Piers left. And so did Mia, a day later. And the day after that, Ivan as well. Only Sheba remained, though she did not show any intention to leave, and neither Felix, nor Jenna, nor anybody else would bring the subject to discussion. It was a complicated matter altogether, as while Isaac and Garet were known in Lalivero for vowing to protect Sheba from any harm and bring her back safe and sound, Felix and possibly even Jenna and Kraden were "the kidnappers" for the people of Sheba's hometown.

"I don't really think so, though..." Isaac said, while he and Felix talked about it one night, at the latter's tent. "... See, when the fight with _those two_ was over and we got out of the Lighthouse, we had a long enough chat with Faran and Iodem, from Tolbi. We did mention that you actually _jumped_ from the aerie just to save Sheba from falling... This, by the way, wasn't anything like you at all. What were you thinking...?"

"Yeah, well, never mind that now..." Felix waved his hand as if trying to physically wipe the last comment out the picture. He felt a little hot on his cheeks, and Isaac's ninja-speed, suspicious gaze made it all even more embarrassing. "... The point is, even if Faran happened to know about Kraden, Jenna and me, Lalivero's townsfolk and Tolbi's soldiers aren't quite acquainted with us and our circumstances, now were they?"

"But that's it, though, isn't it? The only way to know for sure is actually going there ourselves, right?"

"Yeah, but she's still not saying anything to me." Felix frowned. "Ironically, the Mind Reader doesn't like it much when someone else tries to read her own mind."

"Welcome to the club. Ivan might be even worse." Isaac shook his head in frustration. "Always so damn mysterious. But you know, I do wonder...

Isaac remained silent for a while, the fire outside the tent cracking and warming the environment while providing some primitive light.

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure how to put it... But sometimes I feel like they're the same person..."

"Ivan and Sheba?"

"Yeah. And also, you know, there's the Anemos thing. Lalivero's townsfolk often mentioned how Sheba had fallen from the sky... Where Anemos is supposed to be."

Felix meditated on this for a second.

"Remember when I told you about Garoh?"

"The Werewolves Village? What about it?"

"It's been bothering me, lately. In between my conversations with Kraden before you guys and us met at Jupiter Lighthouse... We were kinda thinking... If Anemos vanished to the sky and became the Moon... And Garoh's people transform into wolves while looking at _that _Moon...Wouldn't then the connection be logical?"

"But what would those people's transformations have to do anything with Anemos? Even if Anemos happened to be the Moon they're looking at?"

"Isn't Anemos a tribe of Wind Adepts? Like the Mercury Clan at Imil and so on?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Garoh's people can use Whirlwind. And some, Reveal."

"No way... Really?" Isaac's eyes widened. "Can't it be a coincidence?"

"Way too 'coincidental' to be considered a coincidence. There has to be more to it than what we are talking about."

"Should we ask Kraden?"

"That would be a good idea, though I was more like thinking about somebody else."

"Who?"

"Master Hamma." The Venus Adepts looked at each other for a moment, and then at the starred sky. Both smiling.

"We've changed, haven't we?" Isaac grinned."Before, it was all about who would hold Jenna's hand while walking, or about who would be able to use Move first. But now..."

"Now, it's all about Golden Sun, Lighthouses, Ancient Civilizations and Alchemy." Felix nodded.

"I feel so old..."

"Heh! I wonder how Kraden must be feeling, then..."

Both of them laughed.

"By the way, I didn't hear anything about why you jumped so recklessly from the aerie, back then..."

_Nice try, Isaac..._ Felix thought, smiling inwardly. "That's probably because I never said anything."

(...)(...)(...)(...)

"I don't get it... Nobody is pushing you to leave, so why are you so gloomy?" Jenna said, while they walked to the very same river in which Jenna thought she had lost her whole family, some years ago.

At long last, after going through deserts, frozen poles, mountains made of Magma and Lighthouses practically inhabited by blood-thirsty monsters, Sheba and Jenna could finally take their shoes out and put their bare feet into crystal water. The feeling was great. Such a childish thing to do, such a meaningless thing to wish, but once gone from one's routine, it can be missed so very much.

"I'm not gloomy, Jenna" Sheba replied for God-knows what time. "Seriously, you Fire Adepts never give it up, do you?"

"You bet we don't!" Jenna frowned. "But this time, forget about Psyenergy, and Alchemy and Adepts for a sec... This right now, is called _female intuition_. And a very tough one at that. You're hiding something, aren't you? Something about Lalivero?"

"No, I am _not_. Geez...!"

"Don't 'geez'-me, shorty!"

"Excuse me? Have you measured your own height lately? Ivan is taller than _both_ of us, and _he_ is little for someone his age!"

"Don't change the subject!" Jenna folded her arms. "I get it if you don't want to say anything to Kraden, Piers or Felix, but at least tell _me_!"

Sheba merely looked down, falling silent all of the sudden.

"I _knew_ it. You ARE hiding something!"

"For the love of...! You're so daaaamn stubborn!"

"What is it with you Wind Adepts? You enjoy gazing at everybody else's minds, but don't like it the other way around?"

"Perhaps we don't want them to gaze at something painful?"

"What do you mean?" Jenna recoiled. Had she finally gotten to the root of Sheba's (and perhaps Ivan's) motives for secrecy?

"N-nothing." She immediately gazed at the water.

"Oh, _hell_ no! You're telling me! C'mon, tell me! What did you mean by 'something painful'?"

"Sheesh, Jenna, please, be quiet! You don't have to shout...!"

"I'll shout as many times as possible if that means I can get you to talk, Sheba! In fact, I'll shout it to the whole world, if you don't mind!

"What are you talking about...?"

But Jenna had already gotten to her feet, and had a quite threatening look in her face, which obviously meant she was up to no good.

"Oi, Felix!" She called out loud. Sheba turned her neck so fast that she hurt herself. _Felix was here the whole time?!_... And indeed he was. All the way to the other side of the river, nearby the shore. He was playing some chess with Isaac, Garet watching them closely. As soon as Jenna called him, all of them –as if it was necessary for male friends to answer the call of one of them together- looked at Jenna, who made an evil grin.

"Jenna, what the hell are you...?"

"Yeah, what is it?!" Felix shouted from where he was.

"Sheba wants you to know that she lov-..."

"_Shut up_!"

Sheba jumped and pushed Jenna inside the river. Unfortunately for her, however, Jenna was fast enough to pull Sheba herself as well, which ended up with both girls submerged in the moving water. As it was a calm, children-friendly river, nobody around the place seemed to worry. They all did, nonetheless, look quite interested in the turmoil. Some villagers chuckled, the three young men shrugged and kept playing, and Jenna's mother, who _happened_ to pass by to bring them some snacks, shook her head in both disagreement and amusement.

"My, always so noisy. Not even after such a quest must your sister be calm, right Felix?"

"Right... Wait, is that turkey?"

"I know it's you favourite, but don't be rash. There's plenty for everybody. Garet, Isaac, dears, take some too!"

"Thanks, Ma'am!" Both of the mentioned said. Felix's mother leaned to Isaac's ear and whispered.

"I hope you can deal with her, sweetie. Good luck!"

Isaac turned at her, blushing and almost choking his bite of turkey, but she was already grinning and leaving to the tent.

The two girls rose from the water and sat at the shore again, squeezing their jackets dry. Sheba had a grumpy, yet reddish expression on her face.

"What was it you were saying, Sheba?!" Felix asked, while trying to steal a turkey drumstick from a distracted Garet.

"Nothing!" She replied instantly, almost automatically, blushing for no apparent reason. "I, uh... I just said that I'd love to take a bath, that's all! You guys keep at it! You know, chess makes people smart and stuff! Maybe you should let Garet play a bit more!"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Garet asked back, while Felix and Isaac almost shot their food from their mouths due to laughter. Isaac recovered first.

"She means that we're trying too hard to catch up with you, you know, because you're so smart and all..."

"Well, that goes without saying, doesn't it?" Garet said, his chest inflating. "That Sheba is a sweetheart..."

"Jenna, you dumbass! Don't ever do that again, I'll kill you!"

"If you kill me, Felix won't love you anymore, will he, sweetie?" Jenna blinked at her.

"_Shut up._"

"Try and make me." Jenna replied, defiantly. "Now, please start telling me everything you're hiding, or I'll tell _him_ the little you haven't hidden from _me_!" Sheba merely leered at her, as if wishing her the most painful death.

"You're one despicable, evil, dangerous woman, you know that?"

"And you love me even more, while knowing so."

"The hell I do." Sheba sighed, knowing Jenna had it way too right for her to admit it. "Well, whatever. What do you want to know?"

"You know what it is I want to know." Jenna suddenly became serious. "Every time we mention Piers, Ivan or Mia, you stop talking so much, you look like you'd like to teleport somewhere else. Why? What is it?"

"I..." Sheba looked down. "...I just feel a bit jealous."

"Why?"

"Because they have a place they call _home_ to return to. A family. Or at least, they have people who they consider family... And those people feel the same. Piers has his Uncle... Ivan has Lord Hammet and Layana... And Mia has the people of Imil."

"You have Faran. And the people of Lalivero. Isn't that quite the same?"

"I don't have _them_. They have _me_." Sheba gazed at the sky, now turning golden and purple, marking the beginning of twilight. "They cherish me because they think of me as some sort of goddess. The second I set foot on Lalivero, I tell you, they will put me in a cage and never let me out of it... They'll come to me whenever they want answers about the future, or whenever they are hit by issues they can't solve with a human's normal strength."

The wind blew as a soft, caressing breeze. Jenna felt her relationship with Sheba grew deeper by each word she spoke.

"They use my falling from the sky as an excuse to call me their goddess. To think that I'm divine and all-mighty. I was only able to barely conjure a mere whirlwind and I already was considered an entity worthy of giving their lives for. What will they think, I wonder, if they saw me capable of making thunder strike the ground, or tempests surround the village? They'll use that power for war. They don't realize it yet. But they will. I know it."

"But what about Faran? Does he really not see how you feel?"

"He does, and he does not." Sheba shook her head. "Naturally, he's torn between being a father and being the leader of those people. And then again, I was never his daughter to begin with... His, is a mind I was always too afraid to read."

"Why don't you try telling them why you fell from the sky in the first place?"

"I don't _know_ why I fell from the sky. I was a baby. For all I know, I could have come from the water, or from a Volcano, or from the Core of the Earth... But my powers... The fact that I'm a Wind Adept seems to fit with their stories... So up until now, I too believe I fell from the sky. But, Jenna, if I could stop being able to 'see' the future for a second, and I was able to take a quick look to the true past... _MY_ past... I sure as hell would try to know _why_ did I fall from the sky, and _where_ from in the sky, specifically."

"Is that the reason why you feel like you don't have anywhere to go...?" Jenna's eyes, though sad because of Sheba's pain, were full of understanding. Sheba, of all things, thanked her for that... Pity would never let her feel like she could do something about it.

"Yes."

"I would love it if you stayed." Jenna said. "You know, after all we've been through... I don't know... It would be really hard for me not to be with you anymore."

"What do you mean? But, your family..."

"I love them. Don't get me wrong. I love them to the core of my heart." Jenna smiled nostalgically. "But I've never had a sister. I was the little one, the feeble one. The cry-baby. Mom and Dad still have it hard to picture me fighting alongside Felix and Isaac... I was always the one who needed protection." She hugged Sheba and pulled her closer to her. "But then, they were gone... And I felt as empty as you feel right now. And though Felix came back, well, you know the circumstances... And, because of the fact that he had to take responsibility for our family and then the whole world, Felix is a guy who will hardly ever show his true emotions."

Sheba smirked, albeit tearfully.

"Is that so...?"

"Yeah. Believe it or not, between Saturos, Menardi, Alex, Kraden and Felix, the environment was always about to turn into a fight... And I was always in the middle of it. But I'm thankful... So thankful that I got to be with you. I felt like I was no longer alone, and that there was someone I could actually speak to. I finally felt how it was to have a sister... And I think... That's one of the reasons Felix is so fond of you. He knows you did what he couldn't, because he had to focus on his duty. You prevented me from eventually hating him for being so distant... So cold."

"Funny. I don't feel like I ever did any of those things." Sheba said, smiling.

"And I never thought those were the things I would feel about you. It was my heart talking." Jenna held Sheba's hand. "We love you, Sheba. And if you want to stay, we would very much accept you here in Vale."

Sheba gripped Jenna's hand softly.

"Thanks, Jenna. I... Love you guys, too."

(...)(...)(...)(...)

Felix knew he was dreaming.

And he knew, because after seeing the vastness of the world, he could hardly remember being on such an incredible, huge and breathtaking place. A place way too large to be called a country. Even the noun 'Kingdom' did not feel quite right. But for the time being, he would have to settle with it. For a second, he thought he might have been in Lemuria. The one from the old times. He would not be surprised to find out as much... Kraden's and Piers' description of the old Lemuria –along with the one coming from other Lemurians themselves- make it sound like the said land was not only just as grand as the one Felix was visiting on his dream, but also just as _advanced_.

Even without seeing any people living in such a place, Felix was completely taken aback with the way the buildings, houses, and even the simplest constructions on that place easily rendered Vale's previous straw-roofed houses completely tasteless. Was it steel? Stone? Wood? He could not begin to imagine the material in which these buildings, and even the roads and foundations of the 'Kingdom' itself were constructed. Whatever it was, it was shiny. Bright. As beautiful as a jewel, maybe a Diamond.

Felix wandered about for what felt like half an hour, to two hours. But then again, it was a dream… Time notion could be completely useless over there. On top of that, if that 'Kingdom' was anything like Lemuria at all, time itself would seem to either stop or pass with incredibly slow speed.

He saw no living soul. _Where is everybody?_ He kept thinking. What kind of people would live in such a wonderful looking place? Nobles…? _No_. He shook his head. _I doubt all the money in the world would be enough to achieve this_...

And then, as if it had been the sole purpose of the dream itself, or perhaps as if his own consciousness had understood his need for answers, there was a thick, vertical column of bright light in front of him. It made the same delicate sound as a feather caressing the surface of a mirror calm pond of water, yet it gave the impression to be so strong that entire worlds could be shaken and torn apart with it. _This feeling... _Felix grabbed his chest, feeling his whole heart accelerate its pulse with the mere feeling of such power. His Adept senses, however, seemed to recognize that source of light. It was just the same some time ago, when he showed himself to Jenna after three years. At Sol Sanctum… And also when he was about to cast the Mars Star in the respective Lighthouse's beacon.

_Is it really you…? Wise One?_

"As you can probably imagine…" Said a deep, unmistakeable voice. "… I'm not fond of normal, expected visits."

Sure enough, the column of light had eventually faded away and been replaced with the shape of an enormous, orb-like stone with a rocky, intimidating eye on the middle of it. Its gaze was piercing Felix's soul through so easily, he could hardly understand how in the world had Saturos, Menardi, Alex and him managed to escape the Elemental Stars Room unharmed. He seemed so godly…

"The Wise One…" Felix gulped for a moment, swallowing his own nervousness in the process, or at least trying to. "Are you trying to punish me, for bringing Alchemy to the world?"

"No." The Wise one blinked slowly. "We are in a dream, Felix. _Your_ dream, to be precise. Dreams are people's own worlds, universes, realities… Whatever happens in here, happens because you so want it. Albeit unconsciously."

"For someone who's supposedly powerless in somebody else's dream, you certainly strike me as a God, very much like in reality." Felix said. "But let's say I play along, and say that I'm in my own dream… Why have I dreamed of this place just now? And why are we in here, despite the fact that I don't even know where this is?"

"Perhaps you did not know at first… But you yourself could manage a guess." The Wise One's rocky body hovered over the ground and towards the road behind Felix. "Follow me, young one. We have much to discuss."


	2. Chapter 2 The Future They All Saw

Chapter Two: The Future They All Saw.

"Follow you _where_ exactly?" Felix asked, torn between his curiosity and his lack of trust in Vale's protector.

"You have many questions still unsolved, have you not?" The Wise One replied. "From simple ones like 'where does my friend really come from?' to complex ones, like 'what have I really done to the world with my actions?'…Quite expected, however. Your quest began before everybody else's… With you being too young to really comprehend what was at stake."

"You…" Felix recoiled, while walking beside the Wise One through the deserted road. Somehow, before such magnificence, Felix felt like that was more like The Wise One's house than it was his dream. "Have you been messing around with my mind?"

"My responsibilities are far more world-sized, compared to what a nine-teen-year-old might be thinking about his life. As a better answer, though, let me say this…" The Wise One gazed at Felix. "…I am also an Adept. We could say all the Elements reside within me. If it's the Wind's might to read people's minds, then so is mine. If you consider asking one of your friends, you would soon learn that the art of Mind Reading does not always need any actual Mind Reading. Just a proper understanding of people's faces expressions and the context surrounding them."

"I see. So, I just turned myself in, the moment I asked if you were reading my mind, is it?"

"We can agree on that." The Wise One turned right on the next corner, followed by Felix. The purple coloured 'Kingdom' was named so by Felix due to how every single thing was of such colour. Even the flowing, quiet water. The only things that made an exception were the sky, the sun bathing the land, and the grass caressing Felix's feet.

"Are we on Lemuria?"

"No. Although I can say you are close on your judgement."

"Very close? So this…" Felix took yet another gaze at the buildings and streets of the gigantic 'Kingdom'. "Is this some sort of… Ancient Civilization?"

"Correct." Said The Wise One. " We are currently travelling through one of the districts of the ancient Anemos."

_What?! _Felix's eyes widened. "But how can I dream about Anemos if I have never been here before?"

"Dreams are not just memories. Dreams are things that one thinks could happen. Things that can happen. Things that may or may not happen at all. Also, things that happened. The human's mind is a vortex of constant movement and dimensions… Even I cannot pretend to understand it fully. An Adept's mind even more so."

"What does that mean exactly?"

"You were thinking about Anemos not too long ago, were you not?"

"…Yes. During a conversation."

"It would appear that conversation left many questions and unfinished businesses with the existence of Anemos itself. Your mind, in reaction to my visit, chose to welcome us to Anemos… Albeit not all of it. And until we have finished our purpose here, we cannot move forward."

"In reaction of your visit? So, you were coming either way… To meet me…" Felix became serious.

" And not only you. Your comrades, too. Particularly young Isaac, as he is the very reason why Alex, the Water Adept, failed to achieve his goal, to a tolerable extent." The Wise One seemed to sigh. "But before I answer those questions, your mind requires me to answer _other_ questions regarding this Lost Land."

"I see. Are you really able, or rather, _permitted_ to answer those questions?" Felix asked, unconvinced.

"Sharing my knowledge with human kind has never been prohibited for me. So long as the said knowledge does not interfere with the laws of Time, Space and Matter." The Wise One's eye gazed at Felix. "Please ask. My visits are never intended to be for long, and I wish to speak of something slightly bigger than Anemos."

"Where is Anemos? Is it really true that it became the Moon?"

"Correct. Slightly." The Wise One stopped hovering nearby a deserted bench. Taking the hint, Felix sat on in. "Anemos did not _become_ the Moon. More like, it _invaded_ the Moon, to put it in an easy way to understand. The Moon was already there, as was the Sun. They are older than the existence of the names 'sun' and 'moon' themselves."

"What exactly happened to Anemos?"

"Before your age, and your father's, grandfather's and even before that, there was a time where four Lands symbolized the existence of the Elements. Weyard was divided between Lemuria, for Water; Anemos for Wind; Gaia for Earth; and Escarlata, for Fire. Each Great Land was of course, nourished and maintained by the Light of the four Lighthouses."

"Was it then that the Stone of Sages existed?"

"_I_ am the Stone of Sages. The Philosopher's Stone." The Wise One revealed with a heavy voice. "Yes, I was created during that time, by those who carved the path of the first Adepts. Those who made Psyenergy what it is today."

"What happened then?" Felix asked, almost afraid of what would be the answer for that.

"Those men were torn between controlling the power, Alchemy, use it for maintaining peace… And use the power to rule the world. Naturally, a war erupted, and I was right in the middle of the pursuit for even more power. After countless deaths, despair and bloodshed, my Fathers sacrificed what little power they had to seal Alchemy away, in the form of the Elemental Stars." The Wise One seemed to be nostalgic. "It was, if I should say, a reckless decision, but an important one, at that. Little did my Fathers and even I understand about the importance of the Golden Sun for Weyard. We had been so blinded for our own power that we did not stop to see _where_ did our power come from. The Elements are Nature itself. But Nature will never be beaten by naïve, poor performers such as us. And Weyard's slow, but certain death was Nature's way to show me that The Lighthouses' power does not belong to humans, or me. It belongs to Nature itself."

"The consequences for sealing Alchemy, as if Nature's quick revenge, were devastating… Perhaps even more than the very war we thought would destroy the world. Escarlata was entirely burnt down to ashes, Lemuria was drowned to death, Gaia was destroyed by earthquakes, and Anemos had been vanished into thin air… Thrown into the sky. Fire had burnt fire. Water had doused water. Earth had crushed earth, and Wind had sent wind flying. Human kind was almost gone."

"But… If Contigo still remains as a shadow of Anemos, and so does the small Lemuria that we saw…" Felix asked. "Is there nothing left of Escarlata and Gaia?"

"Escarlata's only legacy was Prox, all the way to the North… And Gaia's was both Mt. Aleph and Vale. Lemuria survived as a shadow, merely because it was way too large… Drowning such a large amount of land in a short amount of time is something out of even the extraordinary. One district of Lemuria lives, if only very slightly, on the town of Imil."

"Was Sheba thrown away from Anemos, Wise One?" Said Felix, trying to make his most important question before the shock of hearing that Prox and Vale had been once such a large pair of titanic civilizations rendered him completely thoughtless.

"I cannot interfere with human kind, as you very well know." The Wise One simply said. "The Town of Lalivero is right in believing she fell from the sky. She did. And yes, she fell directly from Anemos. The reason why she fell, however… I cannot trust to you."

"We already knew she fell. What I'm asking is… Was she _thrown_, or was it an accident?" Felix glared at the Wise One. The rocky eye blinked.

"That is yet another answer I cannot give to you."

"Why?!"

"Her past is something for her alone to deal with. I cannot interfere, nor should you."

"I can't leave her to solve these things on her own. She's just as confused as we are, perhaps even more!" Felix shouted. "Tell me, Wise One! Was she not loved? Was she not accepted within Anemos?"

"If I told you the answers Felix… You would very understandably share them with her." The Wise One shook its whole being, as if trying to deny the fact. " That alone is known as interfering. If she must know the truth, she shall do so by reaching Anemos herself. Telling you would only complicate the state of your already disturbed consciousness… And I cannot have that."

"Why not?" Felix snapped. "You want me to do something else, don't you? You want me to go away from my home again… On some crazy quest that may kill me!"

"Whether or not you do what I must ask you, is your choice. However, as I said before, my purpose for being here is only slightly bigger than just Anemos alone." The Wise One made a pause. "Which means that, even though in a slight manner, I can let you and her find answers yourselves."

Felix's expression completely changed. Only a hint of decision and courage was flashing from his eyes.

"What is it you're asking me, then…?"

"You… You dreamed of it, too?" Jenna's concerned voice asked. Felix sighed, half agreeing, half disagreeing.

"The Wise One usually doesn't have the same message for all people. After all, he requires something different from each of us… I don't think our dreams are at all similar. But yes, I received his visit…"

Felix, Jenna and their parents looked at each other. Felix's father looked at him steadily.

"Do you… Have to leave?"

"Likely so. Perhaps not too soon, unlike with the Lighthouses… This time there doesn't seem to be a time limit for my duties. At least not a limit that close."

There was a long silence between the four of them. Jenna was still looking worried. Felix's mother stared at her cup of tea, while their father kept staring at Felix.

"And here I thought this was all over…" He said finally. Felix shook his head.

"It _is_ over." He stood up and stood beside the threshold. "But, it is only natural that worldwide actions bring worldwide consequences, Dad. Whoever is responsible for what happened to Weyard must either be rewarded or punished for it. Even if we don't like it."

"Must Jenna leave too?" Their mother asked, looking as if about to shed silent tears.

"Receiving a visit from the Wise One is as good as receiving the mission written in a letter. Whether or not she has to leave, or if she eventually leaves… Is up to her." Felix said, folding his arms. "Now, as an older brother, I don't like the idea of her going through more dangerous quests any more than you do, Mom. But… She has proven herself powerful enough. If she was contacted by _him_, then there's no doubt about it."

Jenna seemed to appreciate those words. But she just kept it to herself, quietly smiling.

"When will this have to happen?"

"That's for Isaac to decide." Felix replied. "The Wise One trusted him something very important. I guess that makes his decisions absolute for the time being…"

Silence again. But this time, there was something different. Felix sensed it in the way his parents looked at him and his sister. They had accepted who their son and daughter were. They had seen it. And now, all that was left was to hope for them to succeed. To have faith in them… That was all they could do as a parent. Even if they had the power of the Wise One himself.

"We'll be waiting for you kids." Their father said. "Just… Don't push yourselves to hard, okay?"

Felix and Jenna smiled. The latter went to hug her father, while their mother merely laughed while her eyes cried tiny tears.

"Gee…" She said. "… You kiddos can't just be on one place for a couple years without anything happening, can you? I swear!"

_Thank you, Mom. Dad._ Felix let out a tiny laugh and walked out the tent as the sun bathed Vale brightly. Noon had arrived. And it was right then and there when Felix sensed a familiar force dashing towards him, its speed growing each second. He could recognize it seconds before he arrived… His blonde hair all messier than usual. He was quite flustered. Jenna walked out of the tent as soon as she realized he was there. Felix noted his expression was serious.

"What is it, Isaac? If it's about The Wise One…" Jenna had started, but Isaac stopped her with his hand.

"Let's leave the Wise One thing as is, for now… This is about Sheba."

"What about her?" Felix asked almost immediately. "What happened?"

"She said… She said some strange things… Apparently she had a glimpse of the future… Don't ask me _what_ she saw, I don't know. But… " Isaac's expression showed frustration now. "… She said she had to leave us…"

"Well, maybe she saw something about Lalivero? Maybe she was worried? "Jenna ventured. Isaac shook his head.

"She said she could no longer be associated with us… She said she was leaving forever! She's at Vale's entrance right now, if we don't go after her…!"

"Come on." Felix's face showed sudden anger. He tied his sword around his waist. "Let's go! Come on!"

The Night Before…

As she woke up, a ridiculously strong feeling of anxiety took over her body and her mind. _The Wise One…_ She shook her head as she looked outside her tent. _I wonder what are his real intentions…?_

Her dream was one of endless questions, mysteries, paradoxes and the expectation of a mission she was particularly reluctant to accept. Her quest alongside Felix, Jenna and Piers had little to do with the lighthouses from the start… She could understand the importance of saving Weyard as their travels kept enlightening her, of course. But from the start, she was there merely to learn more about herself, and ideally, to find her family… Her real one.

Kraden's speech about his past as Babi's precious scholar however, made her wonder if within that winged ship, perhaps she had already found a family, albeit not related by blood? Jenna was even _more_ like an older sister to Sheba than Sheba herself was a little sister to her. Piers, on the other hand, was both like an older brother and sometimes even a father. And Kraden behaved just like any grandfather would. Perhaps a crazy, fanatic one, but a grandfather anyway.

But then, as if life had intended Isaac's friends' arrival to be some sort of warning, or reminder, Sheba once again felt like an intruder. Jenna had slowly distanced from her, finally happy to be able to talk to her childhood friends… Piers and Kraden were always submerged in deep, long and formal conversations with Ivan and Mia, about Lemuria, about Hamma and whatnot. Everybody had somehow parted ways with her… Everybody but Felix.

Felix was the one member of the five people regarded as heroes in the Eastern Sea that Sheba had never thought as family even once. Not because she did not love him… Quite the opposite, actually. It was _because_ she loved him so much that she was scared to death to be too attached to him. Being able to treat him as a friend, as a comrade, and as somebody she could trust, was something that earned Felix more points than he already had following his insane reaction to Sheba's falling from Venus Lighthouse aerie.

_Why did he do that?_ She kept asking to herself, as they crossed desserts, Elemental Rocks and lighthouses together. _Why did he jump? He could have died. He could have suffered a terrible injury… His mission would have failed. Why did he jump to save me?_... The answer to that question remained to be Felix's to give away. She vowed to never even _try_ to read his mind. Not that she really could, anyway… Because soon after they left Idejima, Sheba realized she could not read Felix's mind. _At all._ And that made everything about Felix even _more _mysterious than her own past. What was he hiding? What is it that resided in his mind, and he never said to anyone but Piers? Or Isaac?

But, again, as if life had intended her to stop thinking she could fulfil her own wishes, The Wise One himself appeared on her dream of doom. And the beginning of a new, far more dangerous quest was knocking the door. _Anemos…_ She gazed at the night sky, particularly at the Moon. _What happened to you, exactly? Are you really up there…? And why do I feel like this trip is going to be related to you, somehow?_

"That's probably because it _will_ be related." A male voice said, outside the tent. Sheba, though a person who is hardly ever caught by surprise, finally knew how it felt to be. She went out the tent and scanned the whole area, looking for the owner of such voice.

"Who is it?!" She said with stern voice. "Who are you?!"

"My, they were right. You have some fire within you, for a Wind user." The voice said as response. Sheba grunted, and shortly afterwards, her body was clad in purple lightning. The sparks slashed the air and the ground, leaving a clear message: 'get near her, and you will regret it'. Sheba had no intention to play child games, apparently.

"You were messing around with _my_ mind, weren't you? There are no Wind Adepts on Vale. And The Wise One is not even here. _Who_ are you and what the hell do you want?" The sparks glowing and cracking around her body flashed particularly threateningly after her question was asked. "Depending on your answer you might be alive or dead after the thunder gets the better of you!"

"Aahh…" The same voice complained. "…So scary. Please don't do such dangerous things with your body." Suddenly, the lightning armour Sheba had worn until mere seconds ago simply vanished into thin air. Silently. Without any reason why.

"What the…?" She surrounded herself again with purple lightning, but to no avail. The electricity had vanished once again, seconds later. "What is going on…?!" She looked in front of her tent, and witnessed the slow and grim appearance of a human, tall, thin silhouette. Her heart shrunk with fear for a second. Then, the silhouette was illuminated by the Moon's bright light, and Sheba could finally see who it was.

He was as tall as Felix. A bit thinner. His hair was so blond and bright that for a moment, Sheba wondered if it was made of pure gold. He was wearing what seemed to be the mixture between the clothes of a scholar and the ones of a warrior. A long, violet cape hid the left side of his body all the way to his knees. His skin was as white and soft-looking as Ivan's, and even hers. Sheba had never seen such a person. But somehow he did not feel like a stranger… What she felt after seeing him, is the same strange sensation when around Hamma… _Familiar_.

"Who… Who are you?"

"You can call me Zeth." He said. "And yes, I am a Wind Adept myself. Although, 'adept' doesn't feel like the proper name, after being called _Jenei_ for so long…"

"What… What do you want? What are you doing here?!"

"Calm down, Sheba. Lower your guard for a second. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just here to talk." He smiled. "Why don't you come with me, first?" He extended his right hand at her.

"I'm sorry. My Dad said I shouldn't go around, taking stranger's hands and being friendly with them…" Sheba said, her natural sarcasm taking control of her mouth, as it did in any tense situation. Zeth chuckled.

"Wouldn't Felix be included, when we talk about _strangers_?"

"You don't know the first thing about Felix." Sheba glared at him. "Don't say a word about him."

"Oh, but do _you_ know anything about him?" Zeth asked, smugly. "I was under the impression that your reason to suffer right now is the fact that you _don't_ know anything either."

"You bastard…" Sheba glared even more heatedly. "…Just _how_ long have you been spying on my mind?"

"Long enough to know enough." Zeth became serious. "Now, if you'll excuse me… We both have an agenda to follow."

"I'm sorry, what?!" Sheba snorted. "Excuse me. I don't remember anything about me having an 'agenda' with the likes of you!"

"Oh, but you do. _Anything_ that concerns Anemos has definitely got to go through me, first." He delightfully smiled at seeing Sheba's reaction upon hearing the name of the Lost Land. "Yes. I can give you answers. In fact, it would be rude from me not to give you any answers... We're brethren. My fellow Anemos Adept..."

"What did you say just now?!" Sheba walked until she was dangerously close to him. He did not move an inch. "You're lying..." She backed off a bit, gazing at his smug smile. During a small, silent pause, she stared directly at Zeth's eyes. He chuckled.

"Oh...? What's this? Trying to use Mind Reading on _me_, of all people? Isn't that a bit rude?" He snapped his fingers, and a heavy breeze made Sheba back off by force. Gently, but stiffly. Zeth's expression became annoyed. "I have already said it once, and will only repeat it twice. I have come to talk to you, not to fight. Would you mind stopping with the tough girl act? It's not pretty, you know..."

Sheba glared at him once more. "Talk about _what_? Anemos?"

"Well, I figured you'd like to know more about _that_, of course. But no, I didn't come all the way here just to talk about my home..."

"_Your_ home?" Sheba's eyes widened. "...That time... You called me _Fellow Anemos Adept._.. You can't mean..?"

"...That you're from _there_?" Zeth grinned. "Wasn't it _obvious_ from the start? You did fall from the _sky_, if I'm not mistaken... There are no villages on the clouds, that much I can guarantee."

"You know about... My past?" Sheba's hands stopped being so stiffly wrapped around her Staff, her face resembling that of a lost child coming back home after years of being away. "Please... Tell me."

"_That's_ the attitude I was trying to get from the beginning, thank you very much!" Zeth clapped his hands and let out a small laugh. "Okay then. Shall we get going?"

"...Going? What do you mean?"

"Oh. How very careless from me. My bad." Zeth suddenly seemed to have a dangerous look on his face. "See, I did mention I came here to talk to you. But I never suggested in the slightest that we'd be talking _here_. You don't belong here, Sheba. We must go back... To Anemos."

"What?!" Sheba's guard suddenly came back. "What the hell are you saying?! This is my-...!"

"This may be the very place your little adventures ended, and the very place where your friends live... But do not mistake it by your _home_, Sheba. Your home is not here. Nor in Lalivero. Your home is in Anemos. Your business with Weyard has finished. Now's the time for you to go home."

"But...!" Sheba looked behind her, as if she could very well see Felix and the others right there. "But I can't leave my friends.. They're like my only family!"

"Your only family is _also_ awaiting your arrival. One of them actually came here to pick you up personally." He smiled. And then it hit her. No wonder why he did not feel like a stranger. "Correct." Zeth said after her face had spoken for her. "I share the same blood as you do. I'm your brother, Sheba."

"...Brother?" Sheba fell to her knees, completely lost for words, or even actions good enough to calm her mind and her spirit, which had been both transformed into a living mass of happiness and confusion alike. Tears would not come. Neither would laughter. Reality had just begun to hit her as a merciless hammer. She felt shrinking under its pressure. _This man is my brother?!_ She kept asking to herself. He did feel familiar, but for some reason, knowing he was her brother only gave her more questions than answers. Somehow, she did not see how was she ever going to get along with a person whose face and power scared Sheba to death.

Yes. She was scared. He obliterated her Lightning armour as if nothing was covering her, controlled wind with a mere finger snap, realized her attempt to read his mind a split second before she actually did and he did all that without dropping a sweat. To manage such an overwhelming resistance to her powers either required an enormous expertise controlling the Wind Element, or a particularly sturdy and impenetrable allegiance with Earth Element, which she knew not even Felix nor Isaac had. Even Felix had to take a moment and keep his breath in when trying to defend himself against her. But Zeth... He made all her training, all her fighting and even her exposure to the Golden Sun look like a shameful attempt to be noticed. _He might be my brother, but still... Who is he?!_

"Now, Sheba..." Zeth walked closer to her. "... If you're willing to know more about me, about yourself, and about Anemos... I suggest you to bid these people and this world farewell. Right now. You have permitted them to get too close to you... They have slowed you down from becoming what you should have become long ago. I cannot permit that to continue."

"Please, just...Wait..." Sheba got to her feet. She glanced at her brother, trying to seem less scared than she really was. "I... I didn't know I had something in particular to become. I didn't know anything. I was left alone, as a baby in Lalivero... They... They're my friends. I love them." She pointed behind her with her head. "I know I have been looking for my family, but that doesn't mean I want to lose _them_!"

"Sheba, Sheba, Sheba..." Zeth shook his head. "... 'lose them'? You never had them to begin with. Yours is a destiny that cannot afford being involved with them anymore. They have different reasons to live... Different origins. Trying to hold to them is like trying to hold water in your hands... Don't turn your back against the people who really are your friends. Your family."

There was a long silence. Sheba's heart was pumping way too hard and fast. _This is happening way too fast_ she thought. First, the dream with The Wise One, and now _this_?

"Please let me think about it." She said. Zeth sighed and nodded.

"I'll give you until noon tomorrow. If you make your mind and you want to leave, simply go to this town's entrance. If you don't, then this is the last you'll see from me. _For now._"

_Sheba..._ Felix's grip over his sword tighter, as he and Jenna ran behind Isaac's lead, towards Vale's entrance. Garet had joined them as soon as Isaac gave him a meaningful head sign. Their faces were showing the same worried, apprehensive expression. Felix's, however, was hiding much more fear than theirs. He was frowning. _What the hell is the meaning of this...? Sheba... This is absolutely _**not** _like you... What happened to you?_

Felix had a faint flash in his mind, a foggy image of him speaking with The Wise One. His heart shrank for a second, at the possibility. _Did The Wise One do something to you?_

"Felix..." Isaac said while running. "... I know what you're thinking. And I know _why_ are you thinking it could be possible... But stop it."

"He messed up with our parents' lives before, Isaac." Felix shook his head. "He can do it again if he so desires it... Our parents, or whomever he wants."

"I know, I know... But trust me, he's got nothing to do with this."

"Tch!" Felix bit his bottom lip, strongly hoping Isaac was right. Jenna and Garet, who were usually either fooling around or arguing with each other, were looking at both of them Venus Adepts, a trace of fear in their eyes, as if they expected a clash between them. "_Somebody_ is messing up with Sheba... And if I find him with her, I will _kill_ the bastard...!"

"That's no more like you than jumping out from Lighthouses is." Isaac said. "Seriously, what is it with you and her, that you're actually ready to murder someone?"

"_Shut up and lead._" Felix replied angrily, absolutely not in the mood to be messed with.

"Tch!" Isaac gave it up and did not say anything else.

"Felix... Don't." Jenna frowned. "Pull yourself together. You don't need to be like that to us... We're not _them_. They are _gone_."

Felix knew full well she meant Saturos and Menardi. Yes, they were gone indeed. But what of the damage they had done on Felix's heart? And on Sheba's, more importantly? Jenna was more than free to let that resentment go, but as for him... He had spent more time with them. And he saw way more than she did, during the trip she and Kraden were forced to endure. But there was no room for that subject on Felix's mind. Not right now, at the very least.

"Let him." Garet suddenly said. "Let him do whatever he wants. It's his problem if he wants to become like Alex... But Felix, bear in mind, you were the villain once. We won't give you any more chances. Either you have our trust, either you don't. There's no grey area in this matter."

"We'll have to talk about this later." Isaac stopped running. He pointed forward with his head. Sure enough, Sheba was just about to set foot _outside_ Vale. With her back turned against them, Felix had no way to see her expression as she walked... And even more problematic than that, was the fact that as he had feared before: she was not alone.

"Sheba!" Felix shouted, his frustration showing clearly on his voice. She turned on her feet. As soon as she and Felix shared gazes, the Earth Adept was troubled to see an expression in her face he had never seen before... Or had he? Now that he thought about it more thoroughly, at Venus Lighthouse... _She had those same eyes._ His frown became a bit more accentuated. He _hated_ to see Sheba like that... Looking as if she had already given everything up. For good. "_What_ is the meaning of this, Sheba?!"

"It is as simple as it looks." Another voice, male and full of self-confidence said. It belonged to a man who looked like _nothing_ Felix had ever seen before. With that golden blonde hair, bright and white skin and a purple gaze, the stranger gave out the same feeling as being with a way more aggressive, sadistic Ivan. His features were normal, but it was his expression that gave out that aura of blood thirst. Or was it that Felix could say as much simply by the sensations his Earth senses gave him? After all, sensing hatred, love, anger and happiness was not hard a task for anyone with an allegiance to Earth. Just by sharing the same foothold, the same ground, Felix could tell... That man was no good news at all. As if Isaac had felt just the same thing, he had shared a troubled look with Felix.

"Who the hell are _you_?" Jenna and Garet asked at the same time.

"That's _my _line." The man replied calmly. "What could your business be with my little sister...?"

Those words were to Felix –and probably to everybody else- the same as receiving a full load of freezing cold water while sleeping on an already windy night. Like being slapped in one side on the face, and then in the other before one could even react. For five seconds, which felt like five hours, or maybe five years, the young adepts had to struggle to actually realize the meaning of what the man had said.

"... Sister?" Isaac repeated, as if in trance.

"Cut the bullshit." Felix said icily. "Look, I don't know who you are... But stay away from her, and you'll be left unscathed."

"It seems you people like to steal _my _lines" He said, smirking. "Sheba, do you mind...? Otherwise, they won't believe me."

" 'The hell is that supposed to mean?" Garet snapped. "Give us a break, man. Sheba, don't tell me you're actually gonna play along with this guy!"

But all of a sudden, as if she had been possessed, or manipulated into it –her usually green eyes had a purple glow that Felix was not used to see- Sheba's expression went serious. No hesitation. Just coldness.

"His name is Zeth. And he _is_ my brother."

"Say _what_?!" Jenna growled, apparently noticing the same Felix did. "Bastard... What have you done to her...?!"

"Me? Ab-so-lute-ly nothing." He said, using an annoying emphasis on the syllables. "But let me ask the same question to you kids... What have _you_ done with her?"

The silence following that sentence was thick and tense enough to be held in a hand, or cut with a dagger. Isaac, Jenna and Garet looked at each other, and then at Felix, who was completely taken off guard by such question.

"What the hell do you mean?"

"You must be the people she spoke of..." He gave the same cold, grim laughter. "... Are you _really_ sure that Sheba was happy? While she was with you?"

"Of course she was!" Jenna had said, but she was interrupted by Zeth, who shook his head.

"I'm asking _him_." He said, staring at Felix.


	3. Chapter 3 The Reason Why She Was Leaving

Chapter 3: The Reason Why She Was Leaving

Felix took a deep breath, looking at Sheba very closely and trying to identify her feelings. Quite the hard feat, however. People who are used to read other people's minds, or dig deep into their emotions, tend to prepare themselves way to perfectly against someone who might do the same to them. As a matter of fact, the only reason why Felix could so easily lose his usually cool temper was because with Sheba, there was never a way to find out what was happening. She would never say anything, neither would she even express anything with her face. If he, Felix, was a man that almost no one could ever aim to surprise, Sheba was a girl for whom not even that man was surprising enough to even raise an eyebrow. Trying to know what she was thinking was not possible unless she herself made it possible. Quite unlike Jenna.

And right now, after telling to himself that Sheba had all the right to be the way she damn well wanted, Felix found himself regretting he never was confident enough to ask her to trust him with her feelings. At least with a look. At least with the faintest expression... Something that only he could notice. Nobody else... Yes... He wanted her to trust _him_ and only _him_...

_...Shit_. He messed his dark brown hair, frustrated. _This is not the time for this. This situation is serious! Come on, Felix, get a damn grip!_

"You're asking _me_?" The Earth Adept repeated, while everyone looked at him with the look of someone who is expecting a particularly important judgement. "Don't make me laugh. You may very well be her brother. You may very well share the same blood. But, I wonder... Where in the hell have you got the attitude, the love of a brother? Why are you asking _me_ if she was happy with us, instead of asking _her_? Who cares about what I might think or feel? This is about her."

Jenna, Garet and Isaac shared a grin with each other and faced Zeth and Sheba once again. Sheba's strange purple eyes suddenly seemed to return to normal, and her expression –to Felix's great and unconceivable pleasure- had finally shown an emotion that they had never seen. _Thankfulness. _Sure, Sheba can laugh, smile, smirk, joke, yell, be angry and everything else, like a normal human being. But the fact that she was burdened with being a Jupiter Adept made her expressions and her emotions be a thousand times quicker to disappear, quicker to change, and to leave and do not come back for a considerable amount of time. When she smiled, it never really seemed like it was an honest smile. And when she laughed, it never really felt like she was having fun. She hided a lot of things... She had even more secrets than Felix could ever fathom to have.

"Hmph..." Zeth smirked. "... You're Felix, right?"

"So what if I am?"

"I've heard your name. All of your names, actually." Zeth folded his arms. "Did you actually think that just because you happened to share the same battles, tears, laughs with Sheba, she would all of a sudden rather to be with you than with her _true_ family? Don't get too cocky. You don't even understand the ways of the Wind Tribe. What can you possibly know about...?"

"I was." Sheba said, interrupting Zeth. He looked at her, as if he had not expected her to talk without his permission. "I was _very_ happy. And I still am happy... To be with you. But..."

"If you really were happy then get over here and stop even looking at that guy's eyes. He's creepy." Garet said, earning Jenna's glare. He sort of became paralyzed, while Jenna clearly moved her lips and said quietly: 'do not interrupt her again or I'll kill you'. Garet gulped and replied a quiet 'yes Ma'am'. Sheba looked down for a while, and then her eyes stopped when she looked at Felix. The young man felt her gaze on him, and he felt warm on the inside.

"But you _don't _know many things about me." She said finally. Zeth was smiling. "When Isaac and his friends joined us... I felt..." She stopped for a second, and Felix felt like his soul was being horribly tortured as soon as he could distinguish a couple of tears on Sheba's eyes. _She's... She's crying?!_

"...I felt like I didn't belong with you guys! All of you knew each other, and while Piers and Mia didn't, they got along as if they knew each other for ages... But I didn't know anyone! Only... Only you Felix!"

"Sheba..." Jenna's tears began to flow as well. She covered her mouth with her hand, shocked to see her friend finally opening her heart. Felix was completely astonished. Garet and Isaac were surprised, as they had only got an experience of such nature with Ivan... But as a man, Ivan did not need to express his emotions like that. The mere act of fighting, for a man, was a way to take unnecessary luggage from his heart. And between men, moreover, communication often did not need to be through words. Exchanging punches, or clashing swords, or sharing looks proved even more appealing for a man, when he needed to talk with someone.

"Is that... Is that how you were feeling all this time? Sheba?" Jenna asked, holding her sobbing back. She, unlike Felix, had a much more caring, kind heart. She was like an explosion, her temper easy to fire, and her rage quite threatening... But surprisingly enough for a Fire Adept –and unlike any other female Fire Adept Felix had known, like Menardi, or Karst, who were as fearsome as men and then some- Jenna was also sensitive, feminine, fragile and quick to sympathize. She was her mother's daughter, after all.

"Yes..." Sheba was not sobbing, but her tears were thicker and more abundant with each word she said. She looked mere moments away to break down. "Felix... You're the only one I felt close to when there were six other strangers on the ship. I never hated them... I never hated anyone... I love you all! But... But with you... Even if you were never expressive, or if you almost never said anything about yourself, I felt like I could never lose hope any time I was near you! Yet... Inside my heart I always knew... I always feared..." She had finally begun to break down. Felix, though not revealed on the outside, felt like he was being tortured, crucified, slaughtered with each word and tear Sheba shed. He was on so much pain, that he felt for a moment like he was at the top of Mars Lighthouse's beacon again, and his parents were lying on the floor... Cold as steel. The memory of that very experience almost kind of paled in comparison to the pain he felt right now, while seeing Sheba cry.

"... I always feared that the time would come when you would also forget about me. You would also leave me alone and never care about me! That's why, when at Venus Lighthouse... I wanted to die!" She looked down as she cried. "I didn't want you to save me and then forget about me as the time passed! I didn't want to be alone again... I've been alone enough! Even now, I still don't know why you jumped after me! I don't understand...! But I know that you will never say why... And this time, before you have the chance to forget about me... I want to be the one who leaves! I want to know my family, I want to know those people who would never forget about me! Never!"

"Shut up, Sheba." Felix said. His hair was momentarily covering his eyes. But his voice was neither cold nor warm... He seemed to be on trance. Jenna, Isaac and Garet watched closely. Sheba looked at him, about to lose her temper.

"What?!" She asked.

"Are you serious...?! Are you really serious?" He said, his hands trembling. "_Why in the hell would you even _think_ I'd forget about you?! Did you seriously not think about how important you are to us?! Why didn't you open your heart to us before?! Why does it have to be in front of this clown?! How many things do you really think we shared?! We almost died together! How in the _HELL_ would it be possible for me to forget you?! Are you stupid?!_"

"_You're the one being stupid!_" Sheba yelled back. She walked closer to Felix, her tears still flowing. "_How dare you yell at me when I'm trying to tell you how I feel?! Are you an animal or something?!_"

"_Animals are great! They never _FORGET_ the smell of a member of their pack! Maybe you should be more of an animal too, instead of being stupid!_"

"_You insensitive bastard!_" She moved her hand so fast, that Jenna, Isaac and Garet never noticed that Felix had been slapped until the sound of a hand hitting a face was heard. "_Do you even understand the danger of this situation?! Why did you fools even come for me?! I said it clearly enough, didn't I? I don't want to be with you children anymore!_

"_I don't understand anything because you never _TELL US_ anything, Sheba!_" Felix faced her again after being slapped. He took her hand in the air –impressively- before she landed another slap. "_You're always hiding stuff from us, from _ME_! And you said out of all seven of us, _I _was the one you got along with the best?! Then why did you never tell me anything?! Why did you leave me as an ignorant, just like everybody else?! In fact, I would have never known you were leaving had it not been for Isaac! For all I know, it could be _ISAAC_ the one you get along with the best, seeing as you talked to _HIM_ instead of _ME_!_

"_What!_" Sheba landed another incredibly fast slap with her other hand. Because of the hit, Felix's grip over her right hand was lost, and she took the chance to slap him again, and again, and again. "_You idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Don't you damn see it?! Are you freaking blind or something?! I couldn't say anything about this to you because if I saw you I would never be able to leave! Because I would never be able to say '_good bye'_ to that gigantically stupid face of yours! It is _BECAUSE_ I cherish you more than anybody else that I didn't want you to know! As stupid as you were you would have followed me, and Zeth would...!"_

"What is that you're saying, Sheba?" Zeth said. Until then, he had been merely chuckling at the sight of Sheba and Felix losing it. But right there, right at that moment, his face showed another side of him. Jenna and Isaac, who noticed as much, had their weapons at the ready. Sheba looked at Zeth, as if realizing something, and then fell silent, merely glaring at Felix. He glared back even harder.

"He would _what?!_" He asked. "You were talking _to me_, not to that jerk! Sheba, look at me!" Sheba looked down to the ground, her hands warm and itching after she had slapped Felix for the first time in all the history behind them. She shook her head. Felix grabbed her from her shoulders, and pushed her back and forth, gently. "Sheba, goddamn it! LOOK AT ME!"

"_I can't tell you!_"

"_The hell you can't! I'll make you!_"

"That's enough, out of you." Zeth extended his arm, opened his hand on a palm and aimed at Felix. "That's no way to talk to my sister. Get away from her..."

"Shut up!" Felix yelled at him, and Jenna saw so much hatred on his eyes that she feared for the sanity of her brother's mind. "You have no business here! If you say a word again I _will_ make you pay for all you've done, you cowardly-...!"

But as fast as had Sheba slapped him, perhaps even faster, Felix was thrown away by an incredibly strong, thick and sharp current of wind. He fell to the ground, his arms and legs covered in small but painful looking slashes. Blood was already coming. He did not yell in complaint, but it was evident that he was suffering from the blow.

"FELIX!" Jenna, Garet, Isaac and Sheba yelled together.

"As I said before, don't get too cocky, kid." Zeth retrieved his hand and looked at Sheba, who knelt down and tried to help him get up along with Jenna.

"Bastard...!" Isaac glared at Zeth. "Now you've done it! Garet, let's teach this idiot a lesson!"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Garet growled, while both drew their swords and dashed towards Zeth.

"Oh?" Zeth laughed out loud. "Isn't that interesting? _You're_ going to teach _me_ a lesson? I'd like to see you flies try."

"STOP IT!" Sheba cried out. Isaac, Garet and Zeth looked at her. "I'm not running away, Zeth. So don't break your promise! Leave them _all_ alone! And you fools!" She faced Isaac and Garet. "Don't you dare fight him. He'll kill you both!"

"You think we're gonna stand here like imbeciles while this guy goes and does that to Felix?" Isaac was evidently too angered to be talked out of the fight. "Don't interfere, you hear me?!"

"_You're _the ones who are interfering!" Sheba replied, angrily. "Just stop the fighting or...!"

" '_Promise'_?" A voice said. While Isaac, Garet, Sheba and Jenna turned their heads to see, Felix had already got to his feet, barely, and with his mouth bleeding he gave Zeth the look of a hungry lion. He touched his stomach, and mumbled: 'Potent Cure'. A glittering, golden light surrounded him for a second, and his wounds disappeared. "What promise, Sheba?"

But she wouldn't answer. She would just look down. Felix tucked his hair behind his ears and drew his sword.

"I see." Felix walked to where Isaac was. Sheba mumbled 'wait', grabbing his arm, but he struggled to get his arm free. "Isaac."

"Got it." The mentioned said, glaring just as much as Felix was.

"Two regular Earth Adepts trying to match the mastery of an Anemos Tribe member?" Zeth said mockingly. "You guys are either too brave or too stupid. No matter. Sorry Sheba. Our promise doesn't say anything about _your_ friends _attacking me._ I'll have to kill them all.

"Zeth, don't you dare...!"

"Don't worry, Sheba." Isaac said, both he and Felix starting to glow. "It's a hundred years too early for us to be defeated by the likes of an asshole like this. Just have faith on us. Garet, you ready?!"

"Yeah." He said, glowing as well. Jenna stood beside his brother.

"You feeling better?" She asked coldly, apparently too upset to be kind anymore. Felix did not mind.

"Yeah. Let's all of us kick his sorry ass."

That being said, the four precious youngsters from Vale, a heated, angry look on their faces, prepared themselves to battle. As if they were once again going to face the three headed Dragon, the four of them had an aura of determination that Sheba knew, no matter how many times she said 'stop', they wouldn't listen. Zeth, in the other hand, just looked like he was about to do some very boring, annoying chores.

"I see. So you all would rather die here than just let her go peacefully. Ahhh…" He sighed. "…You Fire and Earth Adepts never change. That's the reason why Anemos was always superior…" He did not draw any sword or any other sort of weapon, as opposed to his enemies, who were armed with swords. He did give the impression of a man about to be killed, but Sheba knew way better.

"Very well, then… Shall we begin?"

Right after he had said those words, the clouds in the sky went grey and charged with ominous thunders. Felix and Isaac charged ahead, Garet behind them and Jenna stood in her position, should she have to heal anybody. Felix and Isaac's swords began to glow with a yellow light. Before they could land a hit, however, a thick and ridiculously fast clap of lightning fell down in front of them. Felix miraculously saw through it and unleashed his sword's yellow light as a shield.

"Iron!" He yelled, summoning his Djinni. Sure enough, the Earth Djinni came out of his sword and body and covered both him and Isaac from the thunder. Garet, who was behind them, jumped above the shield and used it to gain more speed. As he jumped again towards Zeth, the Anemos quickly aimed his hand at him as he did with Felix not too long ago.

"Not gonna work, pal!" Garet yelled. He covered himself in blazing red flames, which were also spinning like a typhoon. Garet stretched his right hand and aimed at Zeth as well. Two voices were heard.

"Sonic Slash!"

"Heatwave!"

Air and fire clashed in a titanic explosion, both cutting and burning every single tree around them. Jenna dashed towards Garet, wielding her light sword and aiming at Zeth.

"Dragon Fume!" An enormous, lethal dragon made entirely of flames was thrown from the tip of her sword to Zeth, who snorted and covered himself in a wind tornado, strong enough to dissipate the fire as if a small candle had been the one thrown. From their Djinni shield, Felix and Isaac finally joined the fray, running past Garet and Jenna. Their whole bodies were shining. And then they disappeared in thin air.

Zeth gazed around him, trying to find them while his Tornado shield protected him from any frontal attack. Then he closed his eyes, as if trying to use his Wind Adept's future seeing, but Felix and Isaac had already shown up right above him, in the air.

"Too late!" They both said. They prepared the back of their swords, which were both glowing again with the same light, and soon after that, a clash of steel screeched all over the place, deafening Sheba and the Fire Adepts for several seconds. Zeth had drawn his sword to defend himself. But due to the reinforcement the Earth Adepts had used with both their Echo and Flint Djinn, his sword was trembling.

"What's the matter?" Felix said, smirking with mockery. "Are these lowly Adepts really beating you?"

Zeth merely gave a grin.

"I'm just merely giving you a chance to entertain me."

The blonde Anemos native spun on his feet, and a horizontal tornado threw Isaac and Felix away, not without making them spin like tops. They fell on the ground, as the clouds in the sky got darker. Zeth stopped spinning, and raised his hands to the heavens.

"Spark Plasma."

Right then, very much like when Sheba and Ivan said the same words, purple rays of lightning fell to the spot where the Adepts were. These thunders, however, carried small amounts of incredibly hot energy that melted every single place they touched. But unlike Sheba's or Ivan's Spark Plasma, Zeth's was immeasurably faster, and the amount of thunders flying down was greater. Jenna had to cover them all in her Cool Aura to replenish their health after the rain of thunders died.

"See?" Zeth said. "So far, I haven't shown you anything different from what you've already fought in the past, yet you don't seem to be able to make me even move an inch. How sad."

"Felix…" Isaac said. His and Felix's eyes met for a second, and he understood. They nodded in agreement and stepped in front of Garet and Jenna.

"Garet, you and I will cover him. Jenna, give us some time."

"Roger."

The four of them scattered in different directions. Jenna ran to Zeth's right, Isaac to the left. Garet was in front of Zeth, and Felix stood behind for the time being. Zeth's eyes flew over all of them wondering what the plan was… But it had already begun.

"Searing Beam." Jenna had said with firm voice, and sure enough, a sphere of pure lava and fire formed in front of her. She aimed at Zeth, and the sphere was thrown covered in fire waves, a huge, powerful beam flying furiously to him. He countered using Spark Plasma once again, as a shield, which ended up in another explosion. Garet clapped his hands.

"Liquefier" He said in a spell. He then separated his hands and aimed at Zeth. The latter, soon enough, found himself surrounded by a particularly hot fire wave, which then scattered around in the form of countless beams of blazing red fire. It was like an earthly meteor shower, only way smaller. Its power, however, seemed to be just the same. Several of the small beams landed away from Zeth and caused explosions all over the place. The Earth melting. Quite like his own Spark Plasma. The rest of those beams were sharply aimed at him. He had to spin on his feet once again, faster this time, to surround himself in a hurricane of wind and dissipate the fire attack. But Garet's liquefier was so hot that it did not dissipate, but mixed itself with the wind, turning the tornado fire red. As soon as Zeth finished spinning, the red wind vanished and he could be seen. He was panting, and apparently his clothes were burned slightly.

Immediately after this, to his right and to his left, two shiny, human-size swords fell to the ground and stabbed the floor. He looked in front him, but there was only Felix. Then, he looked above, and he found Isaac on the air.

"Oddysey." The blonde Adept said loudly. A sword the size of a large building, made of pure light just like the previous two, materialized in front of Isaac's hands. With a battle cry, Isaac threw it, and the huge sword clashed with Zeth's own real sword. Yet another explosion deafened Sheba's ears as she watched the battle with fear. Isaac landed in front of where Zeth was.

"Granite!" He said. From his body, the same yellow light from before scattered and flew to Jenna, Garet, Felix and Sheba, after which, the light took the form of a sort of shield or mirror. Isaac was covered by it as well, as he looked at Felix and nodded.

"Do it."

"Roger." Felix replied. He closed his eyes and extended his arms to the heavens, while Zeth got to his feet after the attack and wiped furiously the blood from his mouth. What happened next made Zeth even more furious. The entire sky was cleared once more, and this time, there were no clouds at all. Instead, the form of a winged, colossal warrior was seen flying through the sky.

"Shit." Zeth said, evidently not ready for such blow. The Winged Warrior aimed his right hand, which was covered by a weapon that looked like a lion's face, at the ground. Specifically, the spot where Zeth was.

"Judgement." Felix said in a whisper. The Winged Warrior formed a white sphere of light, and then fired it… It flew down to Zeth as a falling star. Isaac, Jenna and Garet took cover behind Felix, and Sheba braced herself. She was far away, but she knew far well the power of such attack. The white beam of light clashed with Zeth, and the largest possible explosion that had happened on the fight smashed the ground. Several trees were taken out, all the way from their roots. It felt like an earthquake. Almost as if it was the end of the world.

Only it was just the end of the fight.

After the turmoil was over, and the smoke faded away, the Adepts were deeply surprised find Zeth still standing. He was very harmed, that much was certain. His clothes were torn, his body covered in wounds and blood, and his sword completely shattered. But he was standing.

"Well, will you look at that?" He said. "You're all not just a bunch of brats, I see. That makes it even more important to kill you. _All_ of you. Sheba, don't worry. You're coming with me…"

"Wait…! Zeth!"

But it was too late. Zeth had already disappeared, leaving only a small vortex of air behind. Isaac and the rest gazed around.

"Where'd he go?!" Felix asked trying to feel his presence using the Earth, but to no avail. He got nothing. And then, as if to reply to his call, Zeth materialized out of thin air in front of Felix. He grabbed him from his neck and smirked.

"Thunder Mine."

There was a loud, quick 'boom', and Felix was thrown away again, covered in purple sparks. He was being cut by these sparks over and over again.

"Felix!" Jenna yelled. "Bastard…!" She ran towards Zeth, but as she tried to stab him with her sword, he merely stepped aside and grabbed her from her neck in the same way. Isaac and Garet ran to them.

"Don't you dare…!" Isaac had said, but the same sound as before was heard, and Jenna was also thrown away. She was covered in blood too, to Sheba's horror. Before Isaac and Garet could counterattack, Zeth grabbed them both together and did the same to them. The four Adepts were completely covered in blood, the sparks never finishing their job.

"It's not yet possible for mere Weyard Adepts to defeat a member of the Anemos tribe. You did good, however… But that only made it necessary for me to obliterate you." He pointed his index and heart fingers together at them. The skies did not go dark again, but the Spark Plasma fell just as strongly, without any need for them. This time, each thunder found its way to the Adepts. Not one was left unscathed. As they shouted in pain, Sheba ran to his brother with tears falling from her eyes.

"Stop!" Sheba had yelled. She stood before them, making Zeth's attack stop momentarily. "We _made_ a deal, Zeth. Don't you dare break it! You made your point! You _are_ stronger, you win the battle! Now leave them alone!"

"That won't be possible." Zeth said. "Such a powerful group of Adepts… I can't let them roam free. Not even here. If they go to Anemos to take you back, we will all be in danger, including your family. Don't you care about that?"

"They won't go to Anemos!" Sheba said. She turned on her feet and stared at Felix. "Promise me." She said. "Promise me that you won't come for me!"

"What was the promise you both made, Sheba?" Felix said, trembling due to the pain, and his blood falling to the ground. Jenna was unconscious, Isaac and Garet were about to join her. Felix too. Though he seemed determined to learn the truth before that. "What kind of promise did he make to you that made you agree to leave?"

"Please. Just promise me. I don't want to see you anymore, so promise me that you won't come to Anemos!"

"_Answer to me!_"

"_I HATE YOU!_" Sheba yelled at Felix, while she cried. "_I hate you! I despise all of you! So don't come after me! Stay the hell away from me!_ _Don't make me kill you myself!_" She covered her right hand in lightning and pointed it at Felix. "Promise me that you won't come after me! Felix!"

"_Stop joking around with me._" Felix said. Zeth smirked.

"See, Sheba? He's got to die. There's no way he's going to give you up. Move aside. I'll finish him."

Sheba glared at Felix, about to break down and sob again. Felix, completely disregarding the sort of situation he was in, began to laugh. Although his body was heavily injured, and although he was mere moments away from losing consciousness, he was healthy enough to take Sheba's lightning covered hand.

"You hate me?" Felix put her hand, guiding it with his own bloody one, on his chest. Right where his heart was. "Go ahead. Kill me. That is the only way I won't go after you."

Sheba finally lost it.

"_Why are you doing this?!_" She asked in desperation. "_Why can't you just listen to me and do as I say?! Are you retarded?!_

"Perhaps." Felix said, trembling. "Perhaps I am… But remember, Sheba. The leader from our group is _me_. If you want to leave, you can do so only with my permission. And…" He coughed up some blood. "…Don't bother asking me for it. I'm not going to let you leave. Ever. You'll have to kill me."

"Your wish is my command." Zeth said behind Sheba. After this, Felix was surrounded by wind… And pulled violently to the air. Sheba, completely paralyzed while seeing him being played with as if he was a rag doll, lost her balance and fell to her knees. Felix finally fell to the ground, where Zeth silently knelt down and aimed his hand in a palm at him.

But suddenly, and unexpectedly, Felix began to glow. A golden light, nothing like Sheba had ever seen before, surrounded Felix's body like a shield, and made him stand up… Zeth recoiled in surprise, his face showing deep confusion.

"What the…?!"

Felix's hair started hovering, and was strangely dyed in another colour. It was golden hair. Like Zeth's. His eyes had received the same colour. He did not seem to be even conscious. He moved like his body had taken over his mind. Almost like someone who had been possessed. He aimed his shining hand at Zeth… And a powerful, breath-taking shot of golden light tossed Zeth in the same humiliating way he had done with Felix seconds ago. A large crater joined the small collection of craters from previous explosions. Zeth got to his feet, almost as beaten up as Felix was… He was completely stroke by fear.

"The… The Golden Sun…" He mumbled. "… I see… All of them were exposed to it… But its power doesn't show itself unless they're about to die. It's deep within their Psyenergy's Well." He made his arm be bathed in purple lightning, very much like Sheba. "Now, it _is _more than necessary for me to kill them."

The light had gone out from Felix's body, and he fell to the floor, panting. Zeth made his way to him slowly, stumbling while he walked. Sheba did the same.

"Felix! Felix... Please answer to me! _Felix_!"

"Why, I thought you hated me… And now you're sad that I'm about to die?" Felix said, smiling. Sheba, as she recognized the word 'die' began to cry again.

"Wh-what are you saying?!" Sheba grabbed Felix's hands. They were cold. "No… Wait, Felix… Felix you can't…!"

"He can." Zeth said behind her. "And he must." He moved her away in one hand motion, aggressively making her fall to the floor away from Felix. But Sheba got to her feet quickly and dashed to Felix's position once again.

"I won't let you harm him anymore. If you want to kill him, you'll have to kill _me_ first." Sheba said, standing between Felix and Zeth. The Anemos Adept gave her a small, yet frightening smirk. Then, Sheba's worst fears came real.

"I don't mind. That would be like killing two birds with one stone." Sheba closed her eyes, hugging Felix's bloody body as she felt death knocking the door of her soul… But the pain never came. Death never came in. Instead, what she felt was her body being moved, and something liquid and hot falling to her body. She opened her eyes… And then, as all the tears had been shed, she could only let out a painful scream of despair… Felix was on top of her. And Zeth's hand had pierced through his chest… His eyes went slowly gray.

"FELIX!" Isaac and Garet yelled, terrified. Luckily, Jenna was unconscious. Sheba tried to get up, as Zeth took his hand out on one try. But Felix would not let her.

"Y-you idiot…"The Earth Adept said. "H-how can I… Let the person I love… Go a-away…? Huh?"

Sheba could not find the words to reply to that. The shock had rendered her powerless. Zeth seemed to get ready for another attack.

"Huh? You still alive? Impressive. As expected from someone who was exposed to such large energy. It's a pity I didn't get to see more of it." He said as he aimed his lightning hand once again.

"Don't worry. You'll have another chance at it." A female voice said. Sheba, Felix and Zeth turned their heads, and a second later, Zeth was completely covered in the same Spark Plasma he had used. After that, when he tried to counterattack, a wind slash pushed him away from Felix and Sheba. Three familiar faces showed up right before them. In front of Zeth was a woman with purple hair and delicate eyes. Beside Felix and Sheba was another woman with blue hair and a white, bright dress. Beside Jenna, Garet and Isaac, there was a young man with blonde hair and purple eyes. Out of nowhere, Master Hamma, Mia and Ivan had joined the fray.

Sheba desperately took Mia's hand.

"Mia… Please… He's…! He's going to…!"

"It's okay, don't worry." Mia said, smiling to her. She laid Felix down and began healing him, cleaning his blood and closing his horrifying wound with her healing Water Psyenergy. Ivan was doing the same with the others, apparently borrowing Mia's Djinn. Hamma seemed to be quite upset, as she was trembling while she attacked.

"Hamma?" Zeth said, looking at her. "What are you doing here…?"

"That's _my_ line." Hamma said. "Now, I'm going to be _very_ clear while saying this, and I hope you are not so foolish as to ignore what I say… You are injured. You have gone through a battle with four Adepts, two of which are aligned with that Element you hold as your weakness. Besides of that, I have also joined the battle, and as you know, I am as much and Anemos Adept as you are. You have no way to survive if you keep battling. We will have the Adepts healed in a matter of minutes. You are in no shape to face a battle with the Four Elements together. Isaac's group is here, as you can see."

Her eyes and Zeth clashed as strongly as two swords.

"Leave now. And do not return." Hamma ordered with a cold, icy voice. Zeth, who seemed to know already that she was right, merely glanced at Sheba for a second. He smirked, as he began fading away with a current of wind.

"You have only postponed the inevitable, Hamma." He said. "You'll all see me again soon enough… And _you_, I'm going to make sure I kill _you_, first."

"I'll be looking forward to it." Hamma replied.

Without further ado, Zeth vanished. The sky returned to its normal shape and colour, and the signs of a battle were only the craters left by the explosions. Jenna, Garet and Isaac recovered thanks to Ivan's healing, and ran over to where Felix and Sheba were. Hamma walked towards them as well.

"Felix…!" Jenna shouted, terrified. She knelt down beside Sheba, who was just as worried, if not more, while Mia completed her treatment. Hamma looked at the others.

"Is everyone all right?"

"Yeah… Thanks, Master Hamma." Isaac said, gazing worriedly at Felix. Hamma and Ivan smiled.

"Don't worry. He'll be fine." Ivan said.

"You guys saved us!" Garet hugged Mia as soon as she finished. "We would have been dead if you had arrived a second later…! Mia, thank you so much!"

Mia giggled as she returned the hug. Before anybody could say anything else, Felix opened his eyes. The first two faces to greet him were of course, Jenna and Sheba. The rest smirked at him as soon as he sat. He touched his chest and gave a chuckle.

"That was close, huh?" He had said to Isaac, when a hand slapped his face, yet again.

"Uh… I think we should leave them alone for now." Ivan said, looking at Sheba getting ready to murder Felix in her own way. Jenna wiped out her tears and giggled. Isaac, Garet and Mia nodded with the same smile in their faces. Hamma agreed.

"We'll be waiting at Vale, Sheba. Felix." She said. Sheba nodded, while Felix struggled to get up. Hamma chuckled and left them.

"You…" Sheba got to her feet. "… Don't. You. Dare. Do. That. Ever. Again!" She slapped Felix each time another word was said. Felix stopped the last one, but she continued with her other hand. She was crying again, and he felt like he was dying once more.

"Please stop crying."

"Shut up!" She yelled. "Ordering me around after you almost get killed?! What kind of half-assed stupid are you?! You bastard!" She slapped him again, Then, silence. She was sobbing. Felix wrapped his hands around her, smiling. Whatever she said, it was nothing for him. He felt like he had won. She was there, with him. Nobody had taken her away.

"Don't you… Don't you see it… Felix?" Sheba said, sobbing strongly. "How can _I _let the one person I love… Die?"

"You love me? Really?" Felix asked, as if he had not heard well. Sheba glared at him.

"Of course I do! Stupid! And I don't even know why, seeing as you're so bossy and clumsy and… And…"But she could not say anything more. She merely hugged him back, crying the hell out of herself. Felix felt better then. _So she can also cry due to happiness… So she can also love, _he though.

"Please don't ever… Scare me like that… Ever… _Ever_… Ever again. Felix please." Sheba looked at him, no more tears, but only a couple of green eyes showing him how much she really loved him. Felix smiled and moved her face up with his hand. He leaned his face over, slowly, wondering how it would feel to actually taste Sheba's lips, after so much time wondering about things like what did she really think about him, what she felt for him and such. Funnily, he had skipped all the questions he wanted to ask, and went straight ahead for what he wanted to do the most, since he met her. Smiling as he had never before… Felix kissed her. After some seconds, or perhaps years, or perhaps centuries… They broke apart, completely blushed.

"I'll try to never scare you like that. Ever." He said, finally.

"You better." Sheba replied, smiling for the first time in hours. Tasting glory, she went and kissed him again. It was going to be a long afternoon for the both of them.


End file.
